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3. Results

Descriptive statistics for variables included in the multivariate models are displayed in Table 1. In this sample of African American women, interracial dating intentions varied by race/ethnicity of the potential partner with 70% of participants responding they would date someone white but only 43% stating they would date someone Hispanic. African American women also were more likely to have dated a white man (56%) as compared to a Hispanic man (17%). As mentioned above, drug users were oversampled, and 61% of respondents stated they used drugs in the past year. The sample was relatively evenly divided with respect to criminal justice status, as 36% of respondents were in prison, 31% on probation, and 33% were not involved in the criminal justice system. Regarding self-identified skin tone, 20% of respondents identified as light or very light skin tone. The respondents were about 36 years old, and had an average household income of about $17,800. Respondents averaged approximately 12 years of education in this sample. As for their perceptions on the availability of partners, 46% of respondents reported it is difficult to find an eligible African American man, whereas 26% stated it is easier to find an eligible white man and 18% noted it is easier to find an eligible Hispanic man.

Two paired t-tests were conducted to identify if significant differences existed between African American women's intentions to date white men as compared to Hispanic men and their actual behaviors. Interestingly, paired t-tests indicated a statistically significant difference in the intentions of African American female respondents to date white men as compared to Hispanic men, with a higher preference for dating white men (t=12.99; p<0.001). Similar to interracial relationship intentions, paired t-tests revealed that African American women were significantly more likely to have dated a white man, as compared to having dated a Hispanic man (t=17.36; p<0.001).

The series of models displayed in Table 2 report the results of the stepwise multivariate models of intentions to date white men. Model 1E revealed that on average, every unit of increase on the scale measuring cultural mistrust was associated with a decrease of 4% in the odds that the respondent holds interracial relationship intentions with white men (p < 0.001). The same result was duplicated in Model 1F, but additionally, respondents who perceived that it was easier to find an eligible white man, as compared to an African American man, were over twice as likely to be willing to date a white man, all else equal (OR: 2.06; p < 0.01).

Predicted probabilities for both statistically significant variables are presented in Table 3 to more fully understand the statistical associations produced in Model 1F of Table 2. Predicted probabilities revealed that respondents who felt it was not easier to find a white man and had high cultural mistrust had the lowest predicted probability of interracial dating intentions, with a predicted probability of 0.56. Meanwhile, respondents who reported that it was easier to find a white man and had low cultural mistrust had a predicted probability of 0.87 for willingness to date someone white.

The models in Tables 2 and ​and44 included the same independent variables; however, African American women's intention to date someone Hispanic was the dependent variable in all of the models in Table 4. Model 2E revealed that on average, every additional year of education is associated with an increase of 13% in the odds that the respondent intends to date someone Hispanic (p<0.01). Additionally, every unit of increase on the scale measuring cultural mistrust is associated with a decrease of 2% in the odds that the respondent would date a Hispanic man (p < 0.05). Each one unit on the scale measuring racist life events is associated with an increase of 1% in the odds that the respondent would date someone Hispanic (p<0.05). Racist life events failed to reach statistical significance after including perceptions about partner availability in Model 2F. Respondents with the perception that it is easier to find an eligible Hispanic man were over twice as likely to be willing to date a Hispanic man, all else equal (OR: 2.09; p < 0.01).

Predicted probabilities for statistically significant variables are presented in Table 5 produced by the logistic regression of interracial dating intentions in Model 2F of Table 4. Predicted probabilities revealed that respondents who felt it was not easier to find a Hispanic man and had high cultural mistrust had the lowest predicted probability of interracial dating intentions, with a predicted probability of 0.34. Meanwhile, respondents who felt it was easier to find a Hispanic man and had low cultural mistrust had a predicted probability of 0.63 for willingness to date someone Hispanic.

The third set of logistic regression models identified the significant correlates of having dated a white man (see Table 6). Model 3F showed that, on average, being in prison in the past year was associated with an increase in the likelihood of a woman ever having dated someone white by a factor of 1.58 (p < 0.05). Age was also significant in this model, and every one-year increase in age was associated with a 2% increase in the likelihood of the respondent having ever dated a white man (p < 0.05). Additionally, drug use in the past year was associated with an increase of 55% in the likelihood that a woman had ever dated a white man, all else equal (p < 0.05). Each increase of one unit on the scale measuring cultural mistrust was associated with a decrease in the likelihood of having dated a white man by 2%, while each increase of one unit on the schedule of racist life events was associated with an increase in the likelihood of having dated a white man by 2%, all else equal (p<0.05). Finally, perceiving that it is easier to find an eligible white man was associated with an increase in the likelihood of having dated a white man by a factor of 2.22, all else equal (p<0.001).

Model 3G stepped in an additional independent variable, intentions to date a white man. With the inclusion of intentions to date someone white in the model, cultural mistrust and racist life events were no longer significant correlates of having dated a white man; however, one new variable, education, reached statistical significance. Specifically, each additional year of education was associated with a decreased likelihood of having ever dated a white man by 12% (p<0.05). All of the other variables remained significant and in the same direction. Finally, and predictably, respondents claiming they would date a white man was associated with an increase by a factor of 14.54 in the likelihood that they actually have done so (p < 0.001).

The results displayed in Table 6 are further clarified by Table 7, which provides the predicted probabilities of having ever actually dated a white man based on education, whether the respondent claimed they would date interracially, and whether the respondent believed it was easier to find an eligible white man. The results indicate a variety of trends, with the highest predicted probability of 0.86 being for women with lower education, who believed it was easier to find an eligible white man, and stated they would date a white man. On the other end of the spectrum, the lowest predicted probability of having ever dated a white man was for women with high education who said they would not date someone white and did not believe it was easier to find an eligible white man, with a value of 0.11.

The fourth and final set of logistic regression models identified the significant correlates having dated a Hispanic man (see Table 8). Model 4F included the same independent variables in the logistic regression model predicting intentions to date a Hispanic man (Table 6